1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to educational and entertainment devices and systems and, more specifically, to an Infant-Operable Remote Controlled Entertainment and Education Device and System
2. Description of Related Art
The infant toy industry has exploded in recent years, particularly in the area of toys that are touted as working to stimulate the infant""s developmental progression. While some of these toys may provide entertaining shapes, colors and even sounds for the infant, very few of them acknowledge an infant""s ability to understand cause and effect, nor do they operate to build upon this naturally-occurring knowledge. What is needed, therefore is a device that uses feedback to teach an infant to recognize connections between shapes, colors and even sounds, and permits the infant to progress through the learning process safely without adult supervision.
Further, very young children are fascinated with the use of remote control devices. An infant is far more likely to play with a remote controlled toy and thereby learn associations of symbols on the remote with related responses on a physically separate base. This invention is intended to leverage off the fascination young children have with remotes in teaching shapes, sounds, movements and colors through associations made while using the remote.
In light of the aforementioned problems associated with the prior devices and systems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an Infant-Operable Remote Controlled Entertainment and Education Device and System. The system should include a control device that is safe to be left with unsupervised infants. The system should further include a responder device that is in communication with the control device. It is an object that the control device have a plurality of buttons or other touch-sensitive portions dispersed on its face, and that each of these buttons have a unique shape or design displayed thereon. Correspondingly, it is a further object that the remote device have a plurality of figures or members that have shapes or display designs that correspond to the buttons on the control device. In operation, touching or pressing one of the control buttons or touch-sensitive portions of the control device will cause one of the figures or members on the responder device to animate or otherwise agitate in response. In view of the fascination that infants have with remote control devices, it is expected that the link between pressing a control device button and receiving a response from the responder device will provide an educational experience to the infant.